AN EMPOWERMENT UNIVERSAL LOVE BASED ON THE INTEGRATION BUDDHIST PRINCIPLES

Abstract

In this dissertation, three objectives were purposely made: 1) to study the ideas and theories in empowering the universal love in Thai society, 2) to study the Buddhist principles in empowering the universal love in the present Thai society, and 3) to propose the integrated Buddhist guidelines in empowering the universal love. This research employed the qualitative research methodology where the descriptive explanation of its content was also used.

            In the research, it was found that when it comes to the empowerment of the universal love it basically means the confidence created by the couples who are engaged in living daily life together wherein feeling of both people is mutually united which would lead to the endless love and happiness. In forming the ways and love, the adaptation to the suitable period should be taken in order to strengthen the desired love. As far as the universal love is concerned, the universal love based on Buddhism consists in the close-relationship, self-devote, honest emotion, forgiveness and adaptability where both can take one another’s mind into account. Furthermore, while living together, both of them must express their loving kindness in order to make their love strong to each other in the modern society. They also need to follow the Buddhist principles where their mind-set would be empowered through the principle of purification, wisdom, loving kindness, patience and four kinds of holy abiding in resulting in yielding the endless love by means of three ways of the empowerment of the universal love as follows:

            1) The empowerment of universal love in the form of affection; it becomes suitable for the self-love and it should be integrated through the principle of purification in order to benefit oneself where the prosperity would be raised in the present as the basic for human life; it is the self-love only.

            2) The empowerment of universal love in the form of fondness; it becomes suitable for other-love and it should be integrated through the principle of wisdom and patience, fondness between mother, father and sons, husband and wife or friend, teacher and pupils; this kind of love embraces the happy wish for other people including animals. It can be said that this love brings about only the great deal of advantage to all people involved which could extinguish the hatred and ill-will respectively.

            3) The empowerment of universal love in the form of loving kindness; it becomes suitable for people who really want to express the loving kindness to all sentient beings without any limitation; this could be done when people possess the equal mind toward all beings where borderless is present all the time.

            As far as the guidelines in empowering the universal love are concerned, they consist of ‘Suddhi, Paññã, Mettã and Khanti’; this is the genuine love existing without any limitation, be it in human beings’ or animals’ realms, it could be utilized through the principle of four sublime states of mind and good friendship. Besides, it becomes true that love possesses the power residing in human beings’ and animals’ mind where it plays the most crucial roles in living together in the present society and it become crystal clear that people need the universal love: loving kindness and good wish and mutual understanding of each other where all are friends. Under this situation, the reciprocity is not needed any more. Therefore, when people possess certain love, they can live happily in the society, without love, living together would be impossible. To empower this kind of love, the application of the Buddhist principles should be made. Consequently, people can express their loving kindness toward one another bringing about the bodily, verbal and mental development to the higher levels because such love services as the compass directing people to the right direction.

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